Bob Hope Is Not Funny
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- Sly in the Morning, 1670 WTDY
The Library of Congress is hosting an exhibit on the political humor of Bob Hope. Aren't all the people who liked him old, white, and dead? The exhibit paints Hope as a pioneer of political humor but do comedians owe anything to his thin legacy? I even blame Bob's USO tour for the lose in Vietnam.
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- 2010-06-22 20:55:18
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- BobHopeIsNotFunny
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Reviewer:
kristinmak
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
April 29, 2017
Subject: Bob Hope is not funny
Subject: Bob Hope is not funny
(edited old review). This file was found by myself searching for the exact phrase: "Bob Hope is not funny". (of which I never, ever found him funny, not even slightly humorous) I don't care that he entertained servicemen, anyone could have, he chose to, so what. Aside from that, that one single phrase "Bob Hope is not funny" is what led me to discovering the vast compendium of all files archived: Archive.org. Without my searching for it, I might never have discovered the archive site, old time radio files, awesome books- for free!! this amazing site, and only about 6 or 7? years ago did I discover it- thanks to this guy. Aside from this file, I was bored, doing a basic web search for like minded persons or forums who may share my feelings on the notoriously unfunny Bob Hope, and this is the only thing I could find (& I know I am not alone in feeling this way about BH)
Reviewer:
Wally Balloo
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July 14, 2013
Subject: Right or wrong
Subject: Right or wrong
Bob Hope did more to help the morale of our troops than anyone on this planet. There are many stories of his performing in dangerous places, or while sick or exhausted. What did any of us do, even today, that even comes close?
As far as his talent, he worked in his own style, which some like and some don't. The same is true for any performer.
I didn't support Vietnam, but he certainly didn't affect that war at all, regardless of his opinion of it, or level of talent. The war was a lost cause from its inception.
As far as his talent, he worked in his own style, which some like and some don't. The same is true for any performer.
I didn't support Vietnam, but he certainly didn't affect that war at all, regardless of his opinion of it, or level of talent. The war was a lost cause from its inception.
Reviewer:
b33cux
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favoritefavoritefavorite -
January 2, 2013
Subject: Well, the title is certainly correct...
Subject: Well, the title is certainly correct...
I know, I know - it's supposed to be subjective, but still... does that always apply? Have you seen Joe E Ross's vaudeville act? Maybe Bob Hope wasn't THAT bad, but I can't not think of him as a one-trick pony with a lame trick that wasn't even his. There's a story about Hope and Groucho at the mic, Hope drops his script, and Groucho steps on it. How did Hope fare then? I wish I could find a recording of that. But it's not just canned vs ad-lib; Hope just was not funny - and not due to any 'dated' explanation: it's easy to see why a lot of the dated stuff WAS funny at the time. Hope's mediocrity was timeless. Someone lumped him in with Jack Benny, and I'm not sure why. Benny was funny! Fred Allen was that and more. Groucho, Oscar Levant? Hope STUNK compared to those guys! I'd lump Hope with Carrot Top and that watermelon-smasher guy... somewhere under Yakov Smirnoff. If Oscar Levant was the World's Oldest Child Prodigy, then Bob Hope was the World's Richest Bum. Never mind race, politics, or geopolitical conflict: Bob Hope was Not Funny.
Reviewer:
EasyAceMCMLV
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favorite -
September 28, 2012
Subject: The major problem with Bob Hope's comedy . . .
Subject: The major problem with Bob Hope's comedy . . .
. . . is that, on radio, he was so doggedly topical that he dated almost as swiftly as he delivered his jokes. His rat-a-tat-tat joke delivery wasn't to everyone's taste, either, but his primary issue is that his humour is only too well dated; he didn't have the knack other topical humourists had (Fred Allen is one example) of framing their jokes in time-insensitive ways. His radio shows heard today amuse in small doses if you know the history of those days, but the key is small doses.
The major problem with Bob Hope on film is that the stuff is so lightweight as to be a step removed from airheaded.
The major problem with Sly in the Morning, though, is that he comes across as someone who never really listened to Bob Hope in his life, knows only the most surface of stereotypes about Hope, and passes it off as his own kind of humourous retort.
For the record, I think a better case for radio comedians winning World War II could have been made for "Fibber McGee & Molly" . . .
The major problem with Bob Hope on film is that the stuff is so lightweight as to be a step removed from airheaded.
The major problem with Sly in the Morning, though, is that he comes across as someone who never really listened to Bob Hope in his life, knows only the most surface of stereotypes about Hope, and passes it off as his own kind of humourous retort.
For the record, I think a better case for radio comedians winning World War II could have been made for "Fibber McGee & Molly" . . .
Reviewer:
Shadows_Girl
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favorite -
March 25, 2012
Subject: Sly is Unimportant and will Die Unremembered
Subject: Sly is Unimportant and will Die Unremembered
No point in arguing with an idiot.
The response to tripe like this is already on the archive at
http://archive.org/details/Bob_Hope_Thanks_For_The_Memories
If you don't like Bob's humor, or Jack Benny's or whatever that's your privilege, of course.
But millions have and will continue to no matter what a Rush Limbaugh wannabe has to say about it.
And as for Vietnam...we shouldn't have involved ourselves in that mess in the first place. How do I know?
Because when all the shootin' was over the dominoes didn't fall and the world didn't end.
Why did we lose? Because God wasn't on our side in that one.
The response to tripe like this is already on the archive at
http://archive.org/details/Bob_Hope_Thanks_For_The_Memories
If you don't like Bob's humor, or Jack Benny's or whatever that's your privilege, of course.
But millions have and will continue to no matter what a Rush Limbaugh wannabe has to say about it.
And as for Vietnam...we shouldn't have involved ourselves in that mess in the first place. How do I know?
Because when all the shootin' was over the dominoes didn't fall and the world didn't end.
Why did we lose? Because God wasn't on our side in that one.
Reviewer:
Donfield
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favorite -
December 10, 2011
Subject: Talk radio monologue
Subject: Talk radio monologue
An example of what happens when an AM radio station switches from Top-40 to Talk format and announcers have to fill 4-6 hours without spinning a record. WTDY in Madison, Wisconsin was an early stomping ground for Rush Limbaugh.
Never mind that Bob Hope had successful careers on stage, in radio, film and television for over 70 years. Mr. Sylvester wants to criticize him as a political comedian. Hope received recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1940, 1944, 1952, 1959, and 1965. He was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 1985. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal (1962), Presidential Medal of Freedom (1969, for his USO service since WW2), Sylvanus Thayer Award (1968), and the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award (1997).
According to Wikipedia, the most well known figure employed by WTDY is John Sylvester who is also known as "Sly in the Morning" and "Sly the Mid-Day Maverick". He has been a fixture in the Madison Media Market since the 1980s.
I liked Hope for his skill at light comedy in films, particularly during the 1930s-1950s. I didn't care for his TV work or politics that much. I may be old and white, but I'm not dead yet.
Never mind that Bob Hope had successful careers on stage, in radio, film and television for over 70 years. Mr. Sylvester wants to criticize him as a political comedian. Hope received recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1940, 1944, 1952, 1959, and 1965. He was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 1985. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal (1962), Presidential Medal of Freedom (1969, for his USO service since WW2), Sylvanus Thayer Award (1968), and the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award (1997).
According to Wikipedia, the most well known figure employed by WTDY is John Sylvester who is also known as "Sly in the Morning" and "Sly the Mid-Day Maverick". He has been a fixture in the Madison Media Market since the 1980s.
I liked Hope for his skill at light comedy in films, particularly during the 1930s-1950s. I didn't care for his TV work or politics that much. I may be old and white, but I'm not dead yet.
Reviewer:
capsgd
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favorite -
December 10, 2011
Subject: sly who, sly when??
Subject: sly who, sly when??
is sly a humorous paradox?
or a 'clever' ploy at 8 seconds of fame?
7, 6, 5,......
or a 'clever' ploy at 8 seconds of fame?
7, 6, 5,......
Reviewer:
Duke_Of_Zork
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favorite -
December 10, 2011
Subject: Racists Don't Find Hope Funny?
Subject: Racists Don't Find Hope Funny?
It's hard to take Sly seriously when he openly critizes Hope's audience for the color of their skin. That's pretty much what the word racist means, so if he thought it would be more acceptable if directed at a non-traditional target, he badly miscalculated there. It's the idea, not the color of the sheets one wears that's offensive.
He's also incorrect about their age. Hope's main audience was, of course soldiers, which is to say young guys.
They are mainly dead now, which is true of most of the audience of any comedian of the 30's and 40's. Not sure what relevance that has unless Sly is arguing that any living comedian is automatically funnier than any dead one. That sounds ridiculous, but in light of what he's said so far, I can't rule that meaning out.
He's also incorrect about their age. Hope's main audience was, of course soldiers, which is to say young guys.
They are mainly dead now, which is true of most of the audience of any comedian of the 30's and 40's. Not sure what relevance that has unless Sly is arguing that any living comedian is automatically funnier than any dead one. That sounds ridiculous, but in light of what he's said so far, I can't rule that meaning out.
Reviewer:
BetsyBooth
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July 14, 2011
Subject: Vietnam?
Subject: Vietnam?
Well then, do you credit him with winning WWII?
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